Sparknotes: New twist on the bolt and ring terminal wire connection method. Look at pics to see :p:

Well, just made a box for the hell of it. No use for it right now, but what the hell. Wood was free, and it was during school, so why not. I used the plans for [email protected] I believe, from the sticky.

Used 3/4'' Birch ply, which turned out to be a little less than 3/4", with Titebond 1 (I know, not 2, but it's what I had). Clamp, then countersink and predrill, then screw method. Had to cut all the pieces on the panel saw, the table saw motor died. Never remembered to bring the camera to get pics of the stack, or assembly.

Anyway, made myself a circle jig, and i'll never cut a circle with a jig saw again:cool: VERY easy to make cutouts now. Gave the box 2 coats of clear, then ran out. The spots you see that don't look ''right'' are where the wood slightly warped, somehow, and I had to sand it perfect. Rounded off all edges with the router.

On to the shining beauty of the box, the wire terminals. Probably took as long to make these as it did to assemble the box:laugh: First time, had to work out the kinks. Would take me about 15minutes now. Took about an hour.

I decided to use the bolt and ring terminal method, but didn't want the look of a bolt,nut combo on the outside of my box. Figured I could drill out something to screw on over the nut/bolt end to hide it. Look around the room, mini pool balls will work. Got a red (+) and black(-), even better! Steps, probably forgetting some things but you can figure them out. It's **** late:D

1.Figure out what size drill bits I need to use, clamp them in the vice, and drill them out. The first section should be wide enough to clear the nut and cover it, then the next small enough to thread onto the bolt tightly, but not too small that you can't get it to thread on. Drill bit sizer works wonders here ;)

2. Mount bolt w/lock washer on inside of box, flat washer+nut on outside. Make liberally tight, then test fit pool balls again. Ball should cover all the nut, or most of it, and make it down to your flat washer.

3. Now, using a very small drill bit (I used 3/32"), drill a hole through the bolt directly above where the nut is. You need to make sure your nut is as tight as you're going to want it. Don't overtighten to squish the wood, but you want to hear a slight ''cracking'' to know it's tight.

4. Now, uninstall, and go outside and spray a coat paint of of red on one, and black on the other, so you can remember which is which when you take the balls off. Looks better than the gleaming silver as well. I used flat black, and a red primer I had left over from body work:laugh:

5. Re-install, this time with your wires attached inside with the ring terminals. Make sure there's no paint insde the hole in the bolt. I used the drill bit to scratch it all out.

6. Insert the stripped and twisted wires into the holes in the bolt. Should strip about 3/4". Thread pool ball on, hold's the wires tight. I pulled with enough force that something like a thrown shoe would, didn't budge. The screws in the amp would let go first.

7. Post pics on CA.com, giving me props:laugh: This could be done with MANY things, pool balls are just what I had sitting around.

BJ, feel free to steal my idea:p:

Pics in next post. Don't want to lose all this typing for some reason like a electric surge or something.

I've got another trick idea on how to make the wires split from the amp to each ball. May do it tomorrow. If I do i'll post pics. I have NO idea what amp's gonna be mounted on this though, so it may not work as well as in my head. I plan on having the amp mounted on top of the box like my current install. Saves space, and I can run the wires cleanly up the side of the box in some split loom.

evilkokonut

01-26-2008, 04:59 AM

lol wow those terminals are ghetooo

Immacomputer

01-26-2008, 01:31 PM

Clever idea for the wire terminals but they look pretty goofy on that enclosure. Are you leaving it bare or painting it? Just adding clear would make that look ghetto as you don't have any nice grain to look at and the screws with filler also kill the appearance.

budget76

01-26-2008, 01:55 PM

It's clear coated just to seal it up, but it'll get carpeted or painted if I ever use it. They do look kinda goofy, but I like it a lot better than a couple bolts sticking out the back. I think once the amp's mounted and wires are run, it'll look better.

Immacomputer

01-26-2008, 02:02 PM

Ah, OK. What I don't like is how they stick up from the enclosure. I also don't like how bolts do that too without double laying the wood where they are. I guess that's why I prefer the radio shack terminals (not the cheapest ghetto ones but the banana plug ones).

budget76

01-26-2008, 02:29 PM

I agree, But I think with the amp mounted on top, they'll look alright. I'll mock it up and snap a pic. I was going to do bannana plugs, but the two I had the threads were shot, and I figured i'd try something different.

Thanks for the input, always like to hear it.

budget76

01-28-2008, 04:23 PM

got pics with an amp sitting on the box like it would be. Didn't cut any wires to run between. It's only a mock-up. Wouldn't be if the amp wasn't blown:(

I guess nobody likes it huh? 140 views and 2 people comment. I don't care if it's good or bad, but where's the feedback?

Hecta G

01-28-2008, 04:51 PM

ummm, not much of an eye pleaser. Maybe if they were a little more stealth (lower profile and out of the way.

What is their purpose that can't be done through other means?

budget76

01-28-2008, 06:34 PM

ummm, not much of an eye pleaser. Maybe if they were a little more stealth (lower profile and out of the way.

What is their purpose that can't be done through other means?

I was going to put them on the bottom of the back of the box, but if you saw my truck, you wouldn't be too worried about stealth. I've got no carpet to run my power, ground, RCA wires under, so there's a split loom visible through the whole truck.

absolutely nothing, just thinking outside the box. I knew it wouldn't look as good as other methods, but used what I had around, and some spare time. I think plain bolts looks like ****, didn't have any bannana plug terminals with good threads, didn't have a terminal, and didn't want the wires thru the box like on my current box. Can't use 8ga with a 300 watt sub, and any smaller I don't think it would look good.

thanks

Hecta G

01-28-2008, 07:27 PM

oh, okay i understand a little bit better.

You may want to walk through The Home Depot or Lowes in their fastener isle to see what's available. Maybe a stroll down the electrical isle will "spark" a couple of ideas...I know baaad punn.

When i get stuck creatively I usually will separate myself from the project and brainstorm at either one of those.

budget76

01-28-2008, 11:54 PM

Trust me, I know there's thousands of ways to set up the terminals. It wasn't that I was being cheap, impatient, ect. I had some time on my hands, an idea, and somthing that I thought would look decent. IMO, yes, it sticks out, but I think it looks okay and it does it's purpose. I agree they stick out a little, but i'm not building a show car.

thanks

mlstrass

01-29-2008, 02:27 AM

Gonna have to cover that box in green or red felt, pool table style...

Hecta G

01-29-2008, 08:17 AM

Well, dude, if that's what you want then you don't need us unless you were looking comments, suggestions, or snide remarks which is what I think you got.

Good luck with the project, keep us updated!

Zakerid

01-29-2008, 08:21 AM

ehh.... i would have used brass bolts and something with a low profile on top.